Rolls for rerolling old rails



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheetA 1.

l A. REESB. ROLLS PoR RBROLLING OLD RAILS.

N0. 438,642. Patented Oct. 2l, 1890.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) A REBSE ROLLS FOR RLROLLING 'OLD RAILS.

Patented Oct. 21, 1890.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets Sheet 3.

A. REESE. ROLLS POR REROLLING OLD RAILS. No. 438,642. Patented Oet. 21,1,890.

mmm e im! HIHHH UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.l

ARTHUR RESE, OF SHARPSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

`ROLLS FOR REROLLING OLD RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,642, dated October21, 1890. n Application filed January 30, 1890. Serial No. 338,645. (Nomodel.) A

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR REESE, a resident of Sharpsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Rolls for Rerolling Old Rails; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

My invention relates to mills or rolls for rerolling old rails, its object being to improve the construction of mills for this purpose, such asare shown in Letters Patent No. 395,350, granted to Abram ReeseJanuaryl, 1889. In said patent is set forth an apparatus in which therail is reduced in all directions and pressure is applied directly tothe head thereof, while the web portion is supported against bending orbuckling, so that the width or height of the web portion is reduced, soproviding for the formation of rails of smaller section and having anarrower web portion than the standard rails fromwhich they are formed.

The present invention has forits object the providing of a mill in whichthe rail can be rolled in this manner to reduce its height and the widthof the web, and can subsequently be rolled out to the finished rail ofthe section and weight desired.

The improvements desired to be covered relate to the locating andsupporting of the vertical rolls, the adjustment of the same, and otherimprovements, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly setforth and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I willdescribe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure I is a side View of a rail-rolling mill embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the housing and part of themill employed for reducing the height of the rail. Fig. 3 is across-section on the line 3 3, Fig. l. Figs. et, 5, and 6 are detailviews of the iian ges of the rings for reducing the height of the rail;and Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the passes l and 2.

rail and the rapid and convenient rolling of the rail so reduced inheight down to the desired section required, and the providing ofapparatus for properly supporting the rolls for this purpose, and Itherefore formthe apparatus, as shown, with two vertical housings A A,in which are mounted the three horizontal rolls B C D, these horizontalrolls being mounted in suitable boxes in the housings and having thereina series of grooves for rolling the rail down to the finished sectiondesired, as will be hereinafter described. The rolls have at 011e endthereof the ordinary wabbler-heads for imparting motion to the rolls,and they have at the other end, extending out beyond the housings, thecollars or extensions b c cl, which form part of the passes for reducingthe height of the rail. Cast with or secured to that housing are thebrackets a 0,' a2, which form the supports for the vertical rolls e andf, the journals of these rolls, being mounted in these brackets,extending out from the housings, as is more clearly shown in Fig. 3. Therear ends of these brackets a d d2 are closed and the brackets braced bythe screw plate or block r, through which the adjusting-screws extend,so as to press upon the journal-boxes of the vertical rolls, ashereinafter described, the plate or block g being secured to thebrackets by bolts and nuts g', screwing over bolts extending out fromthe brackets, as shown, and thus providing for the adjustment of thevertical rolls toward or from the collars of the horizontal rolls of thepasses. It will be noticed that these passes of the rolls are eachformed of two horizontal rolls having flanges thereon, and so formingsubstantially the pass for the web and the tread or flange of the rail,and the vertical roll having a groove therein correspondingsubstantially to the head of the rail. I will first describe theconstruction of these parts and the special improvements in connectionwith them, and subsequently the other parts of my invention.

The collars b c cl of `the rolls are brought directly into contact witheach other, and, if it is desired, the flanges b c d may be formed onthese rolls as part thereof, though I prefer to employ separate ringscontaining these flanges, as hereinafter described. It will thus be seenthat the joint of the horizontal rolls IOO is in the center of the treadof the rail. In this way the two rolls are caused to support or sustainthe pressure together, and the back pressure imparted upon the head toreduce the height of the rail will be sustained by both rolls at a pointwhere they brace each other. The flanges b and c', forming the lastheight, reducing pass, are necessarily of the same size, as itisnecessary to bring the rail to the proper width for feeding into theordinary grooves of the horizontal rolls. Itis, however, necessary toprovide for some metal on the anges on which the rolls can act in thispass, and I therefore form the groove (Z2 between the Iiange d and thecollar (l deeper than the grooves b2 c2 in the other rolls, and when thebar is passed through the pass l of these rolls on account of the depthof the groove d2 it will leave sufficient metal for the draft throughthe pass 2, thus providing for the reducing of the height of the railsin three-high rolls and the rapid working of the same. It is of courseevident that the Iianges h c d are of comparatively little thickness,and that the strength thereof is not so great as is desirable, and inorder to further strengthen these flanges I form on the outer faces ofthe collars and beyond the anges the re-enforcing faces h3, the faces ofthe rolls e f having corresponding annular seats e2 therein to receivethese-re-enforcing faces, and the flange portions of the rolls beingthus thickened and strengthened. In order to form these iange portionsupon the rolls and to provide for replacement in case of breakagewithout the loss of the entire roll, I form the Han ges upon rings h,the ends of the collars of the horizontal rolls being reduced, so as toform seats' for the rings, and the rings being secured thereto by keysh. These rings can be made at comparatively small cost by casting fromsteel, and in case of breakage of the flange portions, which are theweakest parts thereof, as above stated, or of the wear of the collars,the rings can be quickly removed and others secured in their place. Theanges and the reenforcing faces b3 may be formed upon the rings.

lhe journal-boxes k Z on, in which the vertical rolls are mounted, areprovided with flanges fitting above and below the brackets a a a2, andthey thus act to hold the rolls in line. rlhe rolls have the journals eand f fitting on these j ournal-boxes, the lower journal of the upperroll e and the upper journal of the lower roll f both fitting within thesame journal-box l and meeting therein, so that the bearing or neck ofthe upper roll rests uponl the bearing or neck of the lower roll. rPhelower journal-box 'm has the closed base m', in the center of which isformed a threaded hole, into which screws the adj Listing-screw a, thisscrew bearing upwardly against the lower journal or neck of the lowervertical roll, and so supporting the Weight thereof, and in so doingsustaining the weight of both vertical rolls, as the upper roll c restsupon the lower roll f. By means of this one adj listing-screw I am thusenabled to adjust the vertical rolls, and I also simplify theconstruction of the apparatus by employing the two rolls in the samesets of bearings. The grooves e3 f in these vertical rolls correspond tothe head portion of the rail and are made of the proper depth to impartthe direct pressure upon the head of the rail to reduce its height, thisdepending upon the size or weight of rail rolled. It is found desirableto have the vertical rolls, which are driven by friction, held incontact with the horizontal rolls, so that when the rail is fed theretoit can be more easily entered than if the vertical roll were notrotating. It is, however, necessary to adjust the vertical rollsaccording to the amount of reduction to be imparted to the rail, and inthis case the vertical rolls would necessarily be pressed back out ofcontact with the horizontal rolls against the feeding-screws.

To provide for holding the vertical rolls in contact with the horizontalrolls, therefore, I employ around the feeding-screws the springs p,which bear against the journal-boxes, and so press the rolls forward, sothat they will be revolved by frictional contact with the horizontalrolls, and when the rail is fed thereto the roll will be pushed backagainst the feeding-screwand form the proper depth of pass.

As the vertical rolls are mounted in the same journal-boxes, it isnecessary that they shall be adjusted horizontally together, and forthis purpose I employ the three feedingscrews r r r2, thesefeeding-screws passing through the screw-plate g, which is threaded forthe purpose, and bearing upon the journal-boxes klm, respectively. Theouter ends of the feeding-screws are formed angular, as at s, and thecog-wheels tt t2 fit around these angular ends of the screwto rotatethem, idle cog-wheels u being placed between the said cog-wheels t t' t2to transmit the power to them. To hold these cogs in line, I employ thesleeves fu, fitting around the feeding-screws against the outer face ofthe screw-plate g and bearing on the inner faces of the cogwheels.

The idle-gears u are mounted in studs u', extending out from thescrew-plate, and I also prefer to employ the sleeves c over these studs,as shown, so that all of the cog-wheels are held the desired distancefrom the rear face of the screw-plate.

To hold the screws in line, I employ on the idle-gears u the fianges u2,which extend over the driving-gears t f t2, and so hold them in placeupon the feeding-screws, the idle-gears being held upon the studs by thenuts a3. By such construction in case it is desired to take theapparatus apart it is only necessary to unscrew the nuts g securing thescrew-plate g to the brackets a a a2, when the entire feeding mechanismcan be lifted away by a crane. In case it is desired to remove either ofthe screw-bars or their cogs, it is only necessary IOO IIO

IZO

to unscrew the nut holding the idle-gear eX- tending over it and removethat idle-gear, when the screw-gear with its cog can be withdrawn.

The feeding mechanism can be operated by a hand-wheel fw, applied to oneof the feedingscrews-such, for example, as the feedingscrew fr.

The passes in the rolls employed for bringing the blank to the desireddiameter and finished shape are as follows: The pass 3, being the firstpass in the horizontal roll, is provided to reduce any fin which mayhave been formed upon the base of the flange of the rail in its passagethrough either of the height-reducing passes, the rail being firstpassed through the pass 3, and thence by the passes 4, 5, 6, and 7, orany suitable number of passes for the purpose, being brought down to theparticular section of rail desired. In the rolling of the rail in theapparatus above described, after it has been brought to the proper heat,it is first passed through the pass 1 of the height-reducing passes, andin said pass, while the head of the rail is reduced but little and theflange thereof is reduced according to the proper width thereof for thefinished rolls, the pressure of the vertical roll f upon the head of therail causes the reduction in the width of the web, while the web issupported and prevented from bending or buckling by the anges c d of therail. On accountof the greater depth of the groove d2 sufficient metalis left in the flange to provide for the carrying of the rail to thepass 2 of the height-reducing passes, and the action in this pass issubstantially the same as that in the pass l, the height or width of theweb being still further reduced, while the flange is brought to theproper width for feeding to the regular horizontal rolls. In case afurther reduction is required in the height of the rail the turn of thehand-wheel between the second and third passes in upsetting-rolls willgive the amount desired. As the rails are fed to these passes, onaccount of the springs p the vertical-rolls are held in contact with andare rotated by the horizontal rolls, and the rails can be more easilyfed thereto, as it is not necessary to overcome the inertia of thevertical rolls. The rails are then fed to the pass 3, and any iin formedon the lower surface thereof which might interfere with the feeding ofthe same to the ordinary railpasses is reduced, and the rail is then fedthrough the iinishin g passes until brought to the desired section.

The whole operation can thus be performed in a single mill and withinsuch space as will provide for the easy and rapid handling of the railwithout the loss of unnecessary heat therein, while the control of thevertical rolls and the proper adjustment thereof are rendered simple andeasy.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In rolls for rolling rails, the combination of the housings AA,`having the horizontal' rolls therein, said rolls being provided withthe collars b c d, having flanges b c d, the brackets a a a2, extendingout from said housings, and the vertical vrolls e f, journaled in saidbrackets, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In rolls for rolling rails, the combination of the horizontal rollshaving the collars b c d beyond the housings, provided with flanges b cd', the grooves b2 c2 d2 between said flanges and the collars, thegroove d2 of one roll being deeper than the groove c2 of the adjoiningroll, and the vertical rolls e f, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

3. In rolls for rolling rails, the combination of the horizontal rollshaving the collars at the ends thereof, said collars being provided withflanges corresponding to the tread and web of the rail, and said flangeshaving the re-enforcing faces b2 beyond the same, and the vertical rollhaving seats or depressions c2 on its face into which such re-enforcingfaces b3 can enter, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In rolls for rolling rails, the combination of the housings havingthe brackets extending out therefrom,the horizontal rolls mounted in thehousing and provided with the collars, and the vertical rolls mounted inthe journal-boxes in said brackets, the rolls e f being mounted in thesame j ournal-box in the central bracket a', substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

5. In rolls for rolling rails, the combination of the housings havingthe brackets extending out therefrom, the horizontal rolls mounted inthe housings and provided with the collars, the vertical rolls e f,mounted in the jou rnal-boXes in said brackets, the vertical rolls IOObeing mounted in the same journal-box in the central bracket a', and thej ournal-boxm, having the closed base lm', provided with theadjusting-screw fn, supporting the bearing of the lower roll f,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In rolls for rolling rails, the combination of the horizontal rolls,the vertical roll, screws for adjusting it toward and from thehorizontal rolls, and the springs p, bearing on the journal-boxes of thevertical roll to hold it in contact with the horizontal rolls,substantially as and for the puposes set forth.

7. In rolls for rolling rails, the combination of the horizontal rollshaving collars extending out beyond the housing, said collars havingremovable rings keyed thereto and provided with the flangescorresponding to the tread and web portion of the rail, and the verticalroll completing the pass, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

8. In rolls for rolling rails, the combination of the housings havingbrackets ct a a2, the rolls e f, mounted in said brackets, theadjusting-screws bearing on the j ournal-boxes thereof and carryinggear-wheels at the outer ends thereof, and the sleeves fitting oversuchfeeding-screws and against the gear-wheels, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

9. In rolls for rolling rails, the combination of the housings havingbrackets a ce a2, the rolls e f, mounted in said brackets, theadjusting-screws bearing on the j ournal-boxes thereof and carryinggear-wheels at the outer end thereof, the sleeves fitting over Suchfeeding-screws and against the gear-wheels, and

1o the idle gear-Wheels between the feedinggears having flanges fittingagainst the outer faces of the feeding-gears, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said ARTHUR REESE, have hereunto set myhand.

ARTHUR Witnesses:

ROBT. D. ToTTEN, J. N. COOKE.

